diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..48d26b7812
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# documentation: https://help.github.com/en/articles/workflow-syntax-for-github-actions
+name: Tests
+on: [push, pull_request]
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-18.04
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        python: [3.6, 3.7, 3.8]
+      fail-fast: false
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+
+    - name: set up Python
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+      with:
+        python-version: ${{matrix.python}}
+        architecture: x64
+
+    - name: install Python packages
+      run: |
+        pip install archspec
+
+    - name: test eessi_software_subdir.py script
+      run: |
+          ./eessi_software_subdir.py | tee out
+          grep '^x86_64/' out
+          egrep '/intel/|/amd/' out
diff --git a/EESSI-pilot-2020.09.sh b/EESSI-pilot-2020.09.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..2fa2c4888b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/EESSI-pilot-2020.09.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,254 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# Script to install EESSI pilot software stack (version 2020.09)
+#
+
+TOPDIR=$(dirname $(realpath $0))
+
+function echo_green() {
+    echo -e "\e[32m$1\e[0m"
+}
+
+function echo_red() {
+    echo -e "\e[31m$1\e[0m"
+}
+
+function echo_yellow() {
+    echo -e "\e[33m$1\e[0m"
+}
+
+function error() {
+    echo_red "ERROR: $1" >&2
+    exit 1
+}
+
+TMPDIR=$(mktemp -d)
+
+echo ">> Setting up environment..."
+export CVMFS_REPO="/cvmfs/pilot.eessi-hpc.org"
+export EESSI_PILOT_VERSION="2020.09"
+export ARCH=$(uname -m)
+export EESSI_PREFIX=${CVMFS_REPO}/${EESSI_PILOT_VERSION}
+export EPREFIX=${EESSI_PREFIX}/compat/${ARCH}
+
+DETECTION_PARAMETERS=''
+GENERIC=0
+EB='eb'
+if [[ "$1" == "--generic" || "$EASYBUILD_OPTARCH" == "GENERIC" ]]; then
+    echo_yellow ">> GENERIC build requested, taking appropriate measures!"
+    DETECTION_PARAMETERS="$DETECTION_PARAMETERS --generic"
+    GENERIC=1
+    EB='eb --optarch=GENERIC'
+fi
+
+
+# make sure that $PATH starts with $CVMFS_REPO
+# (if not, we're not running in the environment set up by 'startprefix')
+if [[ $PATH = ${CVMFS_REPO}* ]]; then
+    echo_green ">> It looks like we're in a Gentoo Prefix environment, good!"
+else
+    error "Not running in Gentoo Prefix environment, run '${EPREFIX}/startprefix' first!"
+fi
+
+echo ">> Initializing Lmod..."
+source $EPREFIX/usr/lmod/lmod/init/bash
+ml_version_out=$TMPDIR/ml.out
+ml --version &> $ml_version_out
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green ">> Found Lmod ${LMOD_VERSION}"
+else
+    error "Failed to initialize Lmod?! (see output in ${ml_version_out}"
+fi
+
+echo ">> Determining software subdirectory to use for current build host..."
+export EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR=$(python3 $TOPDIR/eessi_software_subdir.py $DETECTION_PARAMETERS)
+if [[ -z ${EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR} ]]; then
+    error "Failed to determine software subdirectory?!"
+else
+    echo_green ">> Using ${EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR} as software subdirectory!"
+fi
+
+echo ">> Configuring EasyBuild..."
+export EASYBUILD_PREFIX=/tmp/${USER}/easybuild
+export EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH=${EESSI_PREFIX}/software/${EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR}
+export EASYBUILD_SOURCEPATH=/tmp/$USER/easybuild/sources:${EESSI_SOURCEPATH}
+
+# just ignore OS dependencies for now, see https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/issues/3430
+export EASYBUILD_IGNORE_OSDEPS=1
+
+export EASYBUILD_SYSROOT=${EPREFIX}
+
+export EASYBUILD_DEBUG=1
+export EASYBUILD_TRACE=1
+export EASYBUILD_ZIP_LOGS=bzip2
+
+export EASYBUILD_RPATH=1
+export EASYBUILD_FILTER_ENV_VARS=LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+
+
+DEPS_TO_FILTER=Autoconf,Automake,Autotools,binutils,bzip2,gettext,libreadline,libtool,M4,ncurses,XZ,zlib
+# For aarch64 we need to also filter out Yasm.
+# See https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/issues/11190
+if [[ "$ARCH" == "aarch64" ]]; then
+    DEPS_TO_FILTER="${DEPS_TO_FILTER},Yasm"
+fi
+
+export EASYBUILD_FILTER_DEPS=$DEPS_TO_FILTER
+
+
+export EASYBUILD_MODULE_EXTENSIONS=1
+
+echo ">> Setting up \$MODULEPATH..."
+# make sure no modules are loaded
+module --force purge
+# ignore current $MODULEPATH entirely
+module unuse $MODULEPATH
+module use $EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH/modules/all
+if [[ -z ${MODULEPATH} ]]; then
+    error "Failed to set up \$MODULEPATH?!"
+else
+    echo_green ">> MODULEPATH set up: ${MODULEPATH}"
+fi
+
+echo ">> Checking for EasyBuild module..."
+ml_av_easybuild_out=$TMPDIR/ml_av_easybuild.out
+module avail easybuild &> ${ml_av_easybuild_out}
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green ">> EasyBuild module found!"
+else
+    echo_yellow ">> No EasyBuild module yet, installing it..."
+
+    eb_bootstrap_out=${TMPDIR}/eb_bootstrap.out
+
+    workdir=${TMPDIR}/easybuild_bootstrap
+    mkdir -p ${workdir}
+    cd ${workdir}
+    curl --silent -OL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/develop/easybuild/scripts/bootstrap_eb.py
+    python3 bootstrap_eb.py ${EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH} &> ${eb_bootstrap_out}
+    cd - > /dev/null
+
+    module avail easybuild &> ${ml_av_easybuild_out}
+    if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+        echo_green ">> EasyBuild module installed!"
+    else
+        error "EasyBuild module failed to install?! (output of bootstrap script in ${eb_bootstrap_out}, output of 'ml av easybuild' in ${ml_av_easybuild_out})"
+    fi
+fi
+
+echo ">> Loading EasyBuild module..."
+module load EasyBuild
+$EB --version
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green ">> Looking good!"
+    $EB --show-config
+else
+    error "EasyBuild not working?!"
+fi
+
+echo_green "All set, let's start installing some software in ${EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH}..."
+
+export GCC_EC="GCC-9.3.0.eb"
+echo ">> Starting slow with ${GCC_EC}..."
+$EB ${GCC_EC} --robot
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green "${GCC_EC} installed, yippy! Off to a good start..."
+else
+    error "Installation of ${GCC_EC} failed!"
+fi
+
+# side-step to fix missing build dependency for Perl,
+# see https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/pull/11200
+export PERL_EC="Perl-5.30.2-GCCcore-9.3.0.eb"
+echo ">> Taking a small side step to install ${PERL_EC}..."
+$EB --from-pr 11368 makeinfo-6.7-GCCcore-9.3.0.eb --robot && $EB --from-pr 11200 --robot
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green "${PERL_EC} installed via easyconfigs PR #11200, that was just a small side step, don't worry..."
+else
+    error "Installation of ${PERL_EC} failed!"
+fi
+
+# side-step to fix installation of CMake with zlib included in --filter-deps
+# see https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyblocks/pull/2187
+echo ">> Installing CMake with fixed easyblock..."
+$EB CMake-3.16.4-GCCcore-9.3.0.eb --include-easyblocks-from-pr 2187 --robot
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green "CMake installation done, glad that worked out!"
+else
+    error "Installation of CMake failed, pfft..."
+fi
+
+# required to make sure that libraries like zlib that are listed in --filter-deps can be found by pkg-config
+# FIXME: fix this in EasyBuild framework!
+#        see https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/pull/3451
+export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=$EPREFIX/usr/lib64/pkgconfig
+
+# FIXME custom installation of Qt5 with patch required to build with Gentoo's zlib
+# see https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/pull/11385
+echo ">> Installing Qt5 with extra patch to use zlib provided by Gentoo..."
+$EB --from-pr 11385 --robot
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green "Done with custom Qt5!"
+else
+    error "Installation of custom Qt5 failed, grrr..."
+fi
+
+echo ">> Installing OpenBLAS, Python 3 and Qt5..."
+# If we're building OpenBLAS for GENERIC, we need https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyblocks/pull/1946
+if [[ $GENERIC -eq 1 ]]; then
+    echo_yellow ">> Using https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyblocks/pull/1946 to build generic OpenBLAS."
+    $EB --include-easyblocks-from-pr 1946 OpenBLAS-0.3.9-GCC-9.3.0.eb Python-3.8.2-GCCcore-9.3.0.eb Qt5-5.14.1-GCCcore-9.3.0.eb --robot
+else
+    $EB OpenBLAS-0.3.9-GCC-9.3.0.eb Python-3.8.2-GCCcore-9.3.0.eb Qt5-5.14.1-GCCcore-9.3.0.eb --robot
+fi
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green "Done with OpenBLAS, Python 3 and Qt5!"
+else
+    error "Installation of OpenBLAS, Python 3 and Qt5 failed!"
+fi
+
+# FIXME: customized installation of OpenMPI, that supports high speed interconnects properly...
+#        see https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer/issues/14
+echo ">> Installing properly configured OpenMPI..."
+$EB --from-pr 11387 OpenMPI-4.0.3-GCC-9.3.0.eb --include-easyblocks-from-pr 2188 --robot
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green "OpenMPI installed, w00!"
+else
+    error "Installation of OpenMPI failed, that's not good..."
+fi
+
+# FIXME custom instalation LAME with patch required to build on top of ncurses provided by Gentoo
+echo ">> Installing LAME with patch..."
+$EB --from-pr 11388 LAME-3.100-GCCcore-9.3.0.eb --robot
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green "LAME installed, yippy!"
+else
+    error "Installation of LAME failed, oops..."
+fi
+
+echo ">> Installing GROMACS and OpenFOAM (twice!)..."
+$EB GROMACS-2020.1-foss-2020a-Python-3.8.2.eb OpenFOAM-8-foss-2020a.eb OpenFOAM-v2006-foss-2020a.eb --robot
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green "GROMACS and OpenFOAM installed, wow!"
+else
+    error "Installation of GROMACS and OpenFOAM failed, we were so close..."
+fi
+
+echo ">> Installing R 4.0.0 (better be patient)..."
+$EB R-4.0.0-foss-2020a.eb --robot --include-easyblocks-from-pr 2189
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green "R installed, wow!"
+else
+    error "Installation of R failed, so sad..."
+fi
+
+echo ">> Installing Bioconductor 3.11 bundle..."
+$EB R-bundle-Bioconductor-3.11-foss-2020a-R-4.0.0.eb --robot
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo_green "Bioconductor installed, enjoy!"
+else
+    error "Installation of Bioconductor failed, that's annoying..."
+fi
+
+
+echo ">> Cleaning up ${TMPDIR}..."
+rm -r ${TMPDIR}
diff --git a/eessi_software_subdir.py b/eessi_software_subdir.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..7eb279da8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/eessi_software_subdir.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+#
+# Determine EESSI software subdirectory to use for current build host, using archspec
+#
+import os
+import argparse
+import archspec.cpu
+
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Determine EESSI software subdirectory to use for current build host.')
+parser.add_argument('--generic', dest='generic', action='store_true',
+        default=False, help='Use generic for CPU name.')
+args = parser.parse_args()
+
+host_cpu = archspec.cpu.host()
+vendors = {
+    'GenuineIntel': 'intel',
+    'AuthenticAMD': 'amd',
+}
+
+vendor = vendors.get(host_cpu.vendor)
+
+if args.generic:
+    parts = (host_cpu.family.name, 'generic')
+elif vendor:
+    parts = (host_cpu.family.name, vendor, host_cpu.name)
+else:
+    parts = (host_cpu.family.name, host_cpu.name)
+
+print(os.path.join(*parts))